The Commons as a Tourist Commodity: Mapping Memories and Changing Sense of Place on the Island of Barbuda

Amy Potter showcases the method of mental mapping through a case study based on research conducted on the Caribbean island of Barbuda. Specifically, she illustrates how mental-mapping exercises followed by semi-structured interviews can help us understand people’s complex relationship to home. In this context, the method was especially effective in providing an “insider” look at tourism while also problematizing the insider/outsider dichotomy. The method draws particular attention to the islanders’ own “tourist gaze” in addition to effectively drawing out memories of their island home as the island’s economy has shifted from largely subsistence activities to tourism.